


240 Seconds

by way1203



Series: Burlap and Shakes [2]
Category: Batman (Movies - Nolan), Batman - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-01
Updated: 2017-07-01
Packaged: 2018-11-22 00:36:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11368923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/way1203/pseuds/way1203
Summary: In which Scarecrow gives an ex-patient a taste of Experimental Toxin 117, or Mush.





	240 Seconds

**Author's Note:**

> How Hallie nearly lost her mind

"Don't go to sleep on me now. We're hardly done. Wake up, my dear."  
  
The brunette lay on the floor of Arkham's basement, eyes closed, head lolled to one shoulder, sweat slicking her hair to her forehead. Her body remained still for the first time in half an hour. Scarecrow grew increasingly excited at the idea of making Hallie hollow, while Jonathan grew slightly concerned. After all, the line between patient and significant other had long since blurred with her, and his horrid half wanted nothing more than to play with her in the worst way. Crane narrowed his eyes. The rope and burlap of his mask began to chafe his neck. He patted her cheek.   
  
"Hallie? Hal?"  
  
She was unresponsive. He placed two fingers on the inside of her wrist. What he felt made him fumble for the antidote.  
  
Experimental Toxin 117, or _Mush_ , was a two-week-old serum that had only been tested on two patients. He estimated that, with this concoction, he had five minutes after the first minute of administration before she'd lose her mind. If he opted to give Hallie the antidote, it would require at least four of those minutes to take effect.  
  
The margin for error made him work quickly. He filled the syringe, sanitized her skin, and plunged the needle into her vein. Once he completed the injection, Crane capped the needle and set his watch. 240 seconds until the antidote would (hopefully) kick in. Hallie gasped, her eyes became saucers. She screamed. She cowered at something imaginary. He wet his bottom lip and watched her kick her legs for a moment. Hallie sat upright. Frantic, she swatted at the air. Crane grasped her wrists. Her glazed eyes darted around until they settled on his face—or rather, on his mask.  
  
"Crow!" Hallie whimpered. " _Cr_...No!"  
  
_180 seconds_. Hallie's screams reverberated across the cracked tiles. Her back arched. Her legs shifted. She struggled against his arms. Her mind began to falter. There was another shriek, followed by cracked sobbing. Hallie shut her eyes, but whatever lurked behind her lids equally terrified her. They went wide again.  
  
"Are you scared, Hallie?" Scarecrow tilted his head. "What's wrong? It's just fear!"  
  
Hallie parted her lips. At this point, her pupils had dilated. On the concrete, he noticed a trail of liquid creeping toward the wall. He couldn't tell in the dim lighting given the color of her leggings, but he was certain Hallie had wet herself from fear. Scarecrow grimaced. It wouldn't be the first time one of his crazies soiled themselves during an experiment. He wondered what she could see that terrified her so. Scarecrow noticed a tremor in her hands. Her body stopped thrashing and her breathing grew more labored.  
  
Her eyes drifted from side to side. "Crow..."  
  
Scarecrow savored the moment and waited until she had 90 seconds left before he released her wrists and removed his mask. Hallie seemed to relax slightly at the sight of Jonathan. He took her head between his hands.  
  
"Hal," said Crane, "are you in there?"  
  
She moaned. Her hazels struggled to focus. He snapped his fingers twice.   
  
"Hey. Darling dear, I need you coherent. I can't fix you if you don't respond to me. Look at me."  
  
Hallie managed to do as he asked. _60 seconds_.  
  
"You need to keep your eyes open and your mind on reality. Can you do that?"  
  
When her lids began to shut, he smacked the side of her face, albeit harder than he intended. Hallie started. Blood rushed to her cheek as it turned pink. He needed to ground her. He needed her to speak clearly so he could assess the damage.   
  
"Who am I?"  
  
"Crow...Scarecrow..."  
  
_45 seconds_. Crane growled. "What is my name?"  
  
Hallie struggled to make the J sound. _35 seconds_. He hoped the antidote would work. It did on Patient A, who spoke a complete sentence after 240 seconds of screaming before she passed out. She woke up fine. It hadn't on Patient B, who was the reason for the label Mush. Patient B's eyes rolled into the back of his head. He woke two days later with a useless mind unable to say anything other than _Scarecrow_. Crane decided days before to make Hallie Patient C to test his hypothesis concerning Mush and it's impact on women compared to men. If Hallie turned out fine, he would need to test another man, then tweak the formula depending on the results.  
  
"Hallie, what is my name?"  
  
"Crane."  
  
"What's your name?"  
  
He thought she was laughing until she finally said her name. _18 seconds_.  
  
"Stay focused."  
  
"Crane," Hallie touched his arm. "Crow. Scarecrow. Crow..."  
  
"Focus on me."

"Scarecrow."

 _5 seconds._  
  
"I'm...terrified."  
  
His watch beeped twice. They were out of time. Jonathan's lips curled into a small smile. Hallie tilted her head, her pupils dilating. She muttered the last word he wanted to hear:  _Scarecrow_. His smile faltered. Her eyes drifted from his face, to the wall, then up to the back of her head.


End file.
